I Baked!

I baked! And boy oh boy, did it make me happy! I needed cookies for my Young Women in Excellence program and decided to make these lovelies, Lemon Balm Butter Cookies. Our program was designed to help the girls focus on a talent of theirs, large or small, and share it through a short video clip. We turned it into a Young Women Talent Oscar Nite. They dressed up, received corsages, walked the red carpet and heard their names proclaimed the winner of the named nominees in their talent catagories. They even received a YW Oscar! It was a lot of fun. We experienced some hitches with the video equipment but all in all, survived in the end.

I have been thinking a lot about talents, what are they, what do they mean to us personally? I wanted to know what to say to the girls who are so young and only just beginning to know themselves and are discovering that they are fast becoming young ladies who are being taught to groom themselves for the "woman" they one day will be. I find the word talent to be daunting let alone the discription of "woman" for myself even now at my current age, so how am I supposed to inspire them to discover talents within themselves?

During the planning stages of our program I advised the girls to start out thinking small, not everyone needs to be a ballerina or a singing pop star. Look for the every day talents around you, those which beautify your home, your friendships, yourself. I can boast ownership of an overlooked talent in bed making. I can make up a very, very comfy, cozy and beautiful bed. A place in which the sleeper is encouraged to lounge and linger. There is an art to it. The main ingredient to that art, I believe, is love. Love makes all the difference. In the end, the girls in my group all chose to feature themselves in a video clip involving something that they personally love. The topics of the talent videos ranged from manicures and hair braiding to raising chickens and flower arranging.

You never know what a girl is worth,
You’ll just have to wait and see;
But every woman in a noble place,
A girl once used to be.
President Thomas S. Monson

Lemon Balm Butter Cookies

2 sticks butter, room temperature
3/4 c sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbls fresh lemon juice
zest of said lemon
21/2 c plus 2 tbls flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 c finely chopped pecans
generous handfull of fresh lemon balm, finely chopped

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and zest and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture.

Divide dough in half and roll each piece into a log shape about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven the 350 degrees. Slice into 1/4" thick rounds. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 15 - 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

They are deliciously not too sweet. Taste similar to Pecan Sandies with a lemon undertone.

Couldn't Put it Down

I am a day behind. Today is Monday but I need to back track to yesterday, Sunday. As church ended and I was rushing to clean up the Young Women's room, Dannielle a Mia Maid, stopped me and asked if I was still interested in reading the book Twilight. Dani is obsessed with reading. She reads during our lessons. She reads through the majority of our Mutual activities. She has admitted to reading at the dinner table. And I believe she does. For our YW in Excellence program the girls are being video taped showing off a talent, which could be anything. I told them they could even make their bed if they have a "talent" for it which they enjoy and would like to share. Trying to help them think out of the traditional talent box. For Dani's video she is going to read.

Dani (and almost all other females I know) have been talking about this Twilight book since last summer. Everyone devoured the book in mere minutes it seemed. My sister Millie read all three books in three days. My friend Shara stopped all housework and barely fed her children while reading the series. I didn''t take the bite. I have a problem reading or watching whatever I know everyone else is into. I may read a book years after the initial craze and then run around excitedly telling everyone I meet how great the book is. Strange, I know.

Dani had the book in her car. She tempted me and I caved. While Hugo napped I started to read. I didn't want to read much because I was looking forward to my Sunday afternoon nap. I was torn. Nap or new book, nap or new book? I decided on a little of both. So I began with a slow start. Hugo woke me and we played outside. Then, into the house I went to pull dinner together. Decided on my own version of shepherds pie. First though, I brought the book down to the kitchen. I read a bit more in between preparing the meal and cleaning up while it was in the oven. After dinner I whipped up some caramel, walnut brownies while Cesar and Hugo played in the yard. As the brownies baked away, I picked up the book again. Once Hugo was settled for the night I eagerly began to read in earnest. I read and read. Cesar passed out in front of the TV with his tummy full of brownies. I looked at the clock and left him to sleep on in his oversized chair. He looked comfy and I just wasn't at at good stopping place! Finally I woke him. I told Cesar it was time for bed but, would he mind if I read with the light on for a little bit?? I read in bed with my nightstand light burning away until 5am. Poor Cesar. . . I wasn't quite finished but my eyes were beginning to cross and then I heard a crash from Hugo's room and two seconds later crying. He had fallen out of bed. So this morning I finished the final few pages plus the teaser for the next book. I gotta get the second book and soon. Here comes my plug - If you haven't read the series, start now! The fourth book and the movie are both due out sometime this coming summer. Check out the the author Stephanie Meyer's website for info on her books and upcoming movie at http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilightseries.html